1. Use a tripod. Keeping your camera steady will improve your film no end. Show me more

2. Don't zoom in and out too much. It may be tempting to play with the features on your camera but unless you really know your stuff, it'll look awful. More

3. Make sure the light is good. Hollywood became the filmmaking capital of the world because the abundance of natural sunlight was all filmmakers had as high-powered lights had yet to be invented. More

4. Storyboard your film. It will be much easier to direct and edit your film if you storyboard it in advance. More

5. Change your perspective. Experiment with shooting the same scene from different angles and distances. More

Expert tip

Lee Unkrich - director of Finding Nemo
"You can be stuck for weeks on a problem and then you get a couple of people in a room and you get a great answer." Collaborate and share ideas

Your top tips

If you are directing a horror movie, think about what would scare you and how. Think of your fears in real life and tell people about it through your film. Vikram Sahunta

You do not necessarily need to use a tripod to make your film look better. Tripod shots can often be dull, and anyone can get a good shot on a tripod, filming by hand takes more technique, and often gives a film more life to it. KTX

Shoot first, edit later. Keep the camera running all the time in case you miss anything natural. Jay

Has anyone tried a steadycam? Tripods are good but what about that fast paced motion shot you've been trying for? I made mine from a couple of steel rods and an old dumbell. Highly recommended. Ben

Using a tripod made all the difference. Recommended. Dave

From the heart. That is the single most important thing, that your story comes from YOU and that it is your unique vision. You can do it 'well', you can do it 'badly', it really doesn't matter. What matters is you tell your story, your unique story, the story you want to tell in the way you want to tell it. Grab a camera, any camera, grab some mates, get out there and just DO IT. 'Do the thing and you will have the power...'. John Langridge

There's more to directing than holding a camera and telling people what to do. It's how you see the movie and turning the story into your own vision. Matt Pearman

For a shot of someone running along, I pushed a friend in a borrowed shopping trolley alongside and they filmed it. Worked surprisingly well and was a lot of fun in the process. [One-Minute Movies says: don't steal shopping trolleys, and be careful where you roll.] Lara